View Single Post
  #99   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair,rec.crafts.metalworking
Ignoramus15834 Ignoramus15834 is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 13
Default Refrigerator not working again

On 2010-09-22, wrote:
On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:18:40 -0500, Ignoramus25344
wrote:

If you recall, a month or so ago I posted about a refrigerator not
working.

The compressor unit in it would keep trying to start and would be
unable to start, tripping an overload relay.

After some "time off" to let the system cool, the fridge started just
fine. I also replaced a capacitor and relay (which was very cheap and
possibly not needed) and thought that I was done.


Many people can fix almost anything in their home, but when it comes
to refrigeration, it's not a DIY repair. You already replaced the
capacitor and relay. About the only other thing a homeowner can fix
is a defective control, bad wiring, or the cooling fan underneath.
After that, it's time for the pros, and they are expensive. You can
likely buy a used fridge much cheaper than the repair. Once a
compressor dies, its just too costly to replace it. A friend just had
a chest freezer die. I went over and tested the relay. It was
sucking way too much amperage, and would cut out in seconds. I told
him the compressor was shot. He called the pros the next day. He
paid them $50 for the same advice I gave him. They said there is a
dead short inside the compressor windings, and the cost to replace the
compressor was around $350 more. He was ****ed he had to pay the $50
service call. Well, I told him, and I didn't charge him anything. He
just bought a used freezer for $125, but lost all the food that he
had.

It sounds like you did all you could. Kiss it goodbye and get another
fridge, unless you want to spend as much as a new fridge to replace
the compressor.


Well, not what I really like to hear, but this may be very pertinent.

Last night, after the fridge sat without electricity (and food) for
over 12 hours, it still would not start -- the motor would buzz and
then the overload relay would turn it off. I left it unplugged.

Just to be dead sure, I will try again tonight when I get home from
work -- that would be 36 hours of sitting without power. I do not
expect any different result.

At that point, if the fridge would not start, this is for sure not ANY
kind of cooling issue, so I will just replace it with another fridge.

i